It Won't Change a Thing
by 4everawriter
Summary: International pop star Austin Moon didn't know what to expect when he came back to Miami in the middle of his worldwide tour. But nothing could have prepared him for his reunion with his ex-best friend, Ally Dawson. She's changed in a way unimaginable. Now, Austin's determined to bring the old Ally back. But is she willing to give him a second chance?
1. Chapter 1

**I know, I know. I shouldn't be starting a new story, especially when I already have two going. And three is going to be harder to update. But my mind was going to burst if I didn't get this idea out on paper ;D I'm leaving for (another) vacation so I just wanted to see how this one would do before I go. **

**Thank you all for giving this story a shot :D I promise you won't regret it!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

* * *

_Cheetah Beat: EXCLUSIVE EDITION_

_Austin Moon Coming Home_

_International pop star Austin Moon is coming back to his hometown of Miami, but is it really just for a happy reunion? It seems like someone has been a naughty boy lately. It was recently discovered that the blond heartthrob is being cut off from his world tour and shipped over as punishment for bad behavior. Austin Moon is scheduled to arrive on Monday morning and the fans are already going crazy._

_For more information, see page 15…_

* * *

"What?!" I got up so fast I almost tripped over my own feet.

Jimmy Starr, the head owner of Starr Records, forcefully pushed me back into the seat across from his desk. "Austin," he said calmly. "Before you lash out at us, I need you to understand that this is just for a few months and-"

"A few months?" I sputtered out in disbelief. He may as well say that he was shipping me over to a boot camp for the rest of my life. Because there was no way I was going to go back to Miami…in the middle of my world-wide tour!

Next to me, Dez, my best friend and unofficial manager, tried to calm me down. "Listen," he told me. "It's not like this is some kind of punishment-" he cut himself off abruptly. "Okay, maybe it is. But that doesn't mean-"

Jimmy must have realized at the same time I did that any words that were coming out of Dez's mouth were not helping. "The point is, Austin," he interrupted. "Ever since this tour started, you've been acting…differently."

I figured that 'different' was the nicest Jimmy had to offer so I stayed quiet. To my surprise, Dez nodded in agreement. "You haven't been yourself," he added.

Scowling, I glared at the two. "I've been fine," I insisted. Maybe I should have expected this. We've been having this conversation for the past month. How my so-called changed behavior ruining my reputation. _Blah blah blah… _

And it was honestly getting on my nerves. I was perfectly fine.

But apparently, I was the only one who thought that.

Jimmy and Dez exchanged a look, as if they knew something that I didn't. I _hated _it when they did that. A few minutes of silence passed. I tapped on my chair impatiently, waiting for someone to speak up. But no one did.

"Look," I said when it seemed like we were going to be sitting here for a millennium. A millennium that I didn't have the time to go through. "Fine, I'll adjust my 'attitude', whatever you want. But I can't go back to Miami."

Jimmy looked at me as if I was a complicated blueprint. "Why?"

His question stunned me for a moment. _Why? _That was something I probably would never answer. I didn't _want _to answer. "B-Because," I stammered out before straightening myself. "I'm in the middle of my tour. The fans are-"

"-going to have to wait," Jimmy finished for me.

I gritted my teeth in frustration. It was like they were sending me to my room. I was seventeen. I shouldn't be having two babysitters following me around, observing every living second that I was breathing.

And it's just been getting worse by the day. Jimmy has been following me around like a lost puppy. And that was one puppy that I didn't want to keep.

I thought I should have a say in this. Tell them that Miami was definitely out of the picture. Try and argue my way out of this.

But the way Jimmy was staring me down left no room for argument. My mouth opened to try again, but my protest dried out as soon as Dez dropped something by my feet with a _clang_. A suitcase. "I packed your stuff," he said, almost proudly.

"Thanks," I said drily.

Dez didn't seem to notice my sarcasm as he gave me a thumbs up.

I looked down at the suitcase. It was as if was mocking me, just another reminder of my defeat. "So I'm really going?" I asked helplessly.

"Your plane leaves tomorrow," was Jimmy's only response.

Never in my life have I felt such an annoyance for anyone before. I felt my eyes harden as I got up from my seat. "Fine," I spit out, feeling an undeniable anger grow in my stomach. Jimmy didn't try to stop me as I left the room.

Dez followed me out. "C'mon Austin," he prompted, struggling to keep up with me as I continued down the hallway. I huffed, shoving past him. "Just wait a sec-"

My mind mentally erased the current redhead behind me as I directed myself out of Starr Record's recording studio. "I don't see why going back would be so bad," Dez attempted. "We'll get to see family, friends-"

I halted in my tracks. _Friends_. If anything, that increased the slowly-growing knot of pain in my chest. My mind directed away from the obvious subject at hand. Dez grew silent. So silent that I almost thought that he disappeared.

Turning around, I saw that he was staring intently at me. "That's it," he said, as if an idea just dawned on him. "Of course! How didn't I see this before?"

I squirmed uncomfortably. "What?"

"It was so obvious, a fool could have seen it!"

"What?"

"How has this just come into-?"

"Dez!" I gritted my teeth in annoyance, gripping his shoulders in hopes to jerk him back into reality. I shook him a few times before the expression on his face proved that he was listening. "What. Is. It?"

Something seemed to click in Dez's head as he suddenly burst out, "It's her!"

Against my will, I felt myself start to blush, but forcefully pulled it back down.I was Austin Moon. And Austin Moon was supposed to keep his cool. No matter what. Either way, I tried to play off the innocent card.

It failed before a word was able to escape out of my mouth. Dez pointed at me accusingly. "Don't even try to hide it," he told me. "We both know _she's_ the reason why you're so reluctant to go back to Miami."

Sometimes I wanted to curse him for knowing me so well.

We both knew he was right. But that didn't mean I had to like it. "What?" I scoffed, backing away from the redhead. My heart started to instinctively start to pound. "That's ridiculous, Dez. I am completely over Ally Dawson."

Just saying her name seemed to cause my brain to turn into a pile of mush. I gritted my teeth in frustration. _Don't think about her_, I ordered myself. I _refused _to think about her gorgeous doe eyes, pump lips, perfect curls- I blinked hard.

Dez rolled his eyes. "Sure," he muttered.

If anything, that increased my anger. Mostly because he was right.

Ally Dawson. My ex-best friend. I honestly never expected to see her again. Ever. The last memory I had of her was a fifteen-year old girl with wide-rimmed glasses and braces so thick, they covered a good portion of her teeth.

But I never considered her how everyone described her as. Dorky. Nerdy. Words that would make my fists clench every time I would hear them.

We were best friends since kindergarten. And…I may have had a _small _crush on her. But that wasn't the point. We did everything together. As creepy as it might sound, it was as if we were glued to the hip.

Thinking back on it, Ally was incredibly supportive when I got a recording contract with Starr Records two years ago. She may have been happier for me than I was myself. Until I got offered a one year world tour and-

Dez's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "…big fight. But that doesn't mean that you have to hide from her forever!" he burst out, waving his arms wildly in the air. I stared at him in surprise. His shoulders slumped in exasperation.

I bit my tongue hard to keep myself from admitting the truth.

"Whatever you say Buddy," I told him, hoping he would drop the subject.

Dez looked as if he wanted to say more. But I wasn't ready to sit there and listen to him go on and on about Ally Dawson. The girl that I've refused to think about this whole entire trip. And nothing was going to change now.

* * *

It almost scary to see how many people were waiting for me when my flight landed. Dez seemed to be thinking the same thing. Next to me, he sucked in his breath as we both peered out of the plane window.

"Man, Austin," he said, "You have...quite a fan base."

_You think? _The words didn't make it out of my mouth as I watched as security filed outside, pushing the mob backwards with little success. It would have been amusing to watch…if the girls weren't scaring the living out of me.

My eyes caught few of the signs they waved up. _Marry me Austin, _one read. _I LOVE YOU, _another said. A few made me cringe back in disgust. Dez noticed my expression and looked as if he was trying hard not to laugh.

"Don't say a word," I ordered him, jerking back from the window.

If anything, that seemed to make him laugh even harder.

After a few moments of watching, it became clear that we weren't going to be leaving any time soon. "They're going to have to fly you to your house," Dez told me. The problem? I couldn't tell if he was kidding or not.

But what he said made my heart stop. _Your house. _Jimmy had made it pretty clear the day before that I was staying with my parents. And I wish I could say that I felt exited or happy to see them again. But I didn't.

Most regular teenagers shouldn't feel scared when they reunite with their parents after one whole year of being apart. But as much as I hated to admit it, I was. I haven't exactly left Miami in the best of terms with everyone.

With Mike and Mimi Moon included as the 'everyone'.

I sunk into my seat, my stomach officially turning into the world's giant pretzel. _Nothing to worry about, _I told myself, forcing myself to calm down.

My nerves were so high that I almost didn't realize that Dez left the plane until he re-appeared with a hoodie in his arms. He tossed it to me. I caught it mid-air, wrinkling up the dark fabric. "What's this?" I asked.

"Security decided that we're just going to make a run for it," Dez told me. _He had to be kidding- _"There's a car waiting right outside for you."

"This is a suicide mission," I muttered under my breath.

Dez sent me a pointed glare and I raised my hands in surrender. "Fine," I gave in. I waved the hoodie in his face. "But what's this for?"

A smirk appeared on the ginger's face. "We figured that the less they see of you, the better," he said with a small shrug. I rolled my eyes.

Slipping on the jacket, I threw the hood over my head. Dez nodded in approval, gesturing the two officers waiting to 'escort' me out. I suddenly felt as if I was being guided out to prison rather than a high-class limousine.

The doors to the plane opened. I couldn't help but cower back. It looked a lot worse out here than it did inside. One girl up front noticed me first. "Austin Moon!" she gave an ear-piercing screech.

It was as if causing a chain reaction. Anyone who says that my reputation is at a risk right now (*cough* Jimmy *cough*) is a big fat liar. Anyone who doesn't believe me just has to take one look at this mob to change their point of view.

Dez shoved me forward. "Now might be a good time to run," he muttered under his breath. As if on cue, the two security guards behind me ushered me forward, making me stumble slightly.

Hundreds of hands reached forward and suddenly, it was like a massive game of dodge. This was why I rarely go out in public.

After what seemed like hours, somehow we made it into the car. Dez slammed the door behind us. I threw my hoodie off as we took off down the airport. "That," I panted out, trying to catch my breath, "was horrible."

For once no one even bothered to argue.

I ran my hands through my sweaty blond hair. Did Jimmy seriously expect me to go to school like a normal seventeen year old? After what just happened back there, I doubted that I would even be able to step foot into the building.

We weren't even in Miami yet, and things were already going horribly wrong.

**How was it? Should I continue? **

**Constructive criticism is allowed :D I love to hear any ideas or suggestions that can improve my writing ;D **

**Thank you all again! I love you all!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! 36 reviews on the first chapter is...AMAZING! Thank you thank you thank you! I'm so, so, so, SO glad that you guys liked it! There's no words to describe how happy reading you guys' reviews make me :D I hope you enjoy the next chapter of 'It Won't Change a Thing' :D**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

* * *

Mike and Mimi Moon. Otherwise known as Dad and Mom.

When asked, people would refer to them as the owners of Miami's greatest (and only) mattress store. Moon's Mattress Kingdom could easily be called as part of the family, taking that they acted as if it was their second son.

Having a brick building as your overly-dedicated parents' center of attention did have its perks. And it mostly regarded my place in the business.

For as long as I could have remembered, both my mom and dad wanted to pass down ownership of their precious store to me. And as exciting as it sounded (note the sarcasm), I didn't want to be selling mattresses for the rest of my life.

When I went into the music industry with Starr Records, they weren't exactly 'supportive' about it. Still, my parents stayed quiet about it. Until my world tour was probably the last straw for both of them.

It's probably self-explanatory from there.

Taking that my parting with them wasn't exactly on the best note, I _definitely _wasn't looking forward to our reunion. I tried to avoid the thought of it, but nothing could stop the fact that I was going to see my parents again.

Maybe it was wrong that I was feeling so scared or dreading the time when I would finally have to face them. But I couldn't control the growing knot in my stomach as we slowly started to approach my old house. Home.

I rubbed my temples as I let out another deep breath. In the seat next to me, Dez didn't seem to notice my panic as he leaned forward, poking his head towards the driver's seat. "How much longer Lars?" he asked.

Lars was my main driver whenever I was in the USA, though many people also considered him as my unofficial bodyguard. Unintentionally, his large, burly demeanor seemed to have an intimidating affect on the fans.

Despite his appearance, Lars was a generally quiet person, only speaking when he has to. Although with his lack of words, we've grown close.

"Five minutes," he said, his eyes almost glued to the road.

I swallowed the wave of nausea crawling up my throat. My efforts, however, failed as I felt my stomach twist. I didn't realize that I was groaning until Dez looked at me worriedly. "You okay Austin?" he asked, his eyes wide.

_Does it look like I am? _I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from snapping at my best friend. Even though it was partially his fault that I was in this mess, taking that it was both him and Jimmy that sent me here.

"Yep," I forced a smile, not helping the small hint of sarcasm that twisted its way into my voice. "I'm doing fine, Dez. Having the time of my life."

Dez flashed me a sideways glance. "Something's telling me that you're lying," he said after a moment of observation. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

I sunk deeper into my seat as I saw my street come up closer ahead. My familiar neighborhood slowly made its appearance through the car windows. In a way, it felt both good and nauseating to see Miami again after so long.

"We're here," Lars just had to announce as he parked the car against the curb of my house. If anything, that caused my body to instinctively cower back, drifting so low to the ground, I could hardly see out the window.

"Perfect," I muttered under my breath, forcing myself to stay calm.

Dez nodded approvingly as he opened the car door. Fresh air filled the vehicle, relaxing me slightly. Swinging his feet out onto the sidewalk, he turned towards me expectantly. "Coming Austin?" he asked questioningly.

I figured that my answer of '_no' _wasn't going to be accepted, so I gave a small nod. "Yep," I stammered out. Dez gave me a hard pat on the back, pushing me forward towards what could be a happy or dreadful reunion.

"Lars and I have to get going," Dez told me. "We'll come by tomorrow to check up on you, okay?" _Great, _I thought. Now I have to face my parents. Alone.

Dez didn't even wait for my response as he half-shoved, half-walked me to my front porch. "Have fun," he told me as he made his way back towards the car. I couldn't tell if he was being serious or just teasing me.

I scowled as he closed the limousine door with a _bang. _Lars must have been in a hurry to leave me in my misery because the car skittered down the road, almost flipping over as it made a sharp turn around the bend.

_Perfect._ I turned my focus back onto the front entrance. An unwanted fear traveled up my spine. _You're Austin Moon, _I reminded myself. _Fear isn't an option. _Swallowing the emotions crawling up my throat, I forcefully relaxed myself.

Before I could completely lose my cool, my hand slammed against the doorbell.

For a moment, there was a complete silence and I was left there, stupidly fiddling with the handle of my suitcase, staring at the door as if it was life itself.

As another minute passed by, I was starting to think that my parents were either a) ignoring me or b) completely forgot about my arrival and was out of the house. Both situations weren't exactly encouraging.

I don't know how long I was standing in front of that door for. But it was long enough that when it finally did open, I was completely off guard. Stumbling back, I almost fell off the porch as it swung open.

Mimi Moon. Mom. She was looking at me, almost in shock as her eyes observed every millimeter of my body. I didn't know what I was expecting. Maybe a hug. Or at least a welcome home. Instead, I was greeted with complete silence as my mom continued to stare at me as if I came from another planet.

"Um," I stammered out, taking a step back.

This all felt so wrong. Like…we were complete strangers.

And no words could describe how much I hated it.

I didn't notice that I was off the porch until my feet hit the sidewalk. "I-I think I'm just going to," my hand weakly pointed off towards a random direction, my legs already making its way down the street.

A part of me wished that my mom would say something. Call me back. Apologize. Welcome me home. But she didn't. I still felt her stare boring through my back as I half-ran, half-stumbled away from my so-called 'home'.

* * *

Somehow, I found my place at the Miami Mall. My head instinctively ducked down, bringing the hood of my jacket up over my face. _Please don't notice me, _I begged silently as I continued past the continuous stores.

Mini's. Melody Diner. Susy's Soups. Billl's Sufshop. Tech Town. Looking around, really nothing has changed since I've left a year ago. It was still the infamous Miami Mall where I spent at least half my time in.

Which was probably why I felt straight at home as soon as I stepped foot into it. For the first time since I arrived, I felt myself genuinely relax. I don't know how long I walked around in circles around the mall, clearing my mind.

But my time was up when my phone started ringing. I slipped it out of my pocket. _Dez, _the caller ID read. I tried not to groan as I answered the call. "What do you want Dez?" I asked, biting my lip in frustration.

"Hello to you too," was the dry response. My mouth opened to retort when the redhead continued, "Quick question: why aren't you at your house?"

A jolt of surprise surged through my body. I resisted the urge to look over my shoulder. "What?" I got out, my voice unwillingly raising an octave higher.

"Look behind you," Dez told me. The problem? His voice was no longer coming from the phone. I bit my tongue to keep the unwanted curses from coming out. I slowly turned around to meet myself with the worst death stare ever.

Dez frowned at me, throwing my hood off so that he was face-to-face with me. "What are you doing here?" he asked, crossing his arms.

My words came out in a jumble, tripping over each other as I tried to find an excuse. "I tried going in…my mom…had to get out…" throughout my embarrassing loss for words, it just had to be topped off with, "Please don't tell Jimmy!"

Jimmy. He was going to _murder _me if he found out that I was out in public without any backup. He was unbelievably overprotective when it came to stars going out alone, especially with crazy fans loose everywhere.

Annoying? Yes. Unbearable? Definitely. Unnecessary? Not entirely.

Dez softened. "Was it really that bad?" he asked, slowly connecting the pieces.

I shrugged. It was, but not in the way he was thinking. Before another word could be said, a shrill shriek caused both of us to leap out of our skin. "Austin Moon!" someone cried out. _Oh no. _

My hand fumbled for the hood that Dez had thrown off, but it was too late. We both spun around to see a blond-haired girl jumping up and down like a hyperactive terrier, her hand pointed straight towards us.

It was amazing how fast news spreads because in the matter of seconds, she had gathered a huge crowd. Dez snapped out of the shock faster than I did. He pushed me forward. "Go, go, go," he said, moving us both towards the exit.

Cameras flashed behind us. Papers, notepads, posters got shoved in my face; anything for me to sign. Behind me, Dez must have realized at the same time that I did that there was no possible way we could run out of this.

And we've been through enough mobs to know what to do.

Dragging me forward, Dez guided me into the first store in sight. Skittering inside, we both slammed the doors closed, locking it on top. I almost felt bad as the fans ended up crashing forward. But that didn't stop them from taking pictures through the glass windows.

It didn't matter. Because I finally got a chance to take a breath.

Dez was gasping for air. "We'll stay in here," he panted, "until they calm down." He didn't have to tell me twice. I collapsed to the ground.

Only then did I realize what store we were in. My eyes flashed over the walls. Guitars. Pianos. Trumpets. Instruments filled my sight. My stomach turned inside-out as the store continued to push into my memory.

_Sonic Boom. _The name flashed through my head. And suddenly, I was ready to throw myself back into the crazy mob. Because if I remembered correctly, there was only one person who worked in here. And it was-

"What is going on in here?" a voice snapped at us.

I fumbled to my feet. Dez and I spun around to see a petite teenager glaring daggers at us. My breath caught in my throat, my lungs suddenly struggling for air. I almost didn't recognize her.

Her hair, which I last remembered as a pure brown, has now transformed into a curly ombre. What were once skirts, lace sweaters, and dresses were now hot pink skinny jeans and frilly tank tops.

But that wasn't it. It was the pursed frown on her face that completely threw me off. The scowl that seemed like it was almost stitched there, as if it's been like that for a long time. Her figure was as stiff as a board.

Her face contorted in what could only be pain. As if the mere sight of me disgusted her. And the thought of that caused shivers to go down my spine.

There was only one thing that stayed the same. I met her eyes, which were no longer rimmed with thick glasses. A gorgeous chocolate that would never change in a million years. And that's how I knew my suspicions were correct.

"Ally," I breathed out.

**Try running from this now Austin ;D I hope you guys liked this chapter! I honestly had so much fun writing this chapter. The next update is going to mostly revolve around Austin/Ally's relationship before Austin left for the world tour (including the 'big fight'). **

**Question of the day: How do you guys think both Austin and Ally are going to react?**

**Again, thank you all SO much! A huge shout out goes to all my reviewers and silent readers :D You guys rock with a capital R ;D **

**I'm sorry if the updates aren't going to be as early because summer is coming to an end :( I start this Monday. But I'll still try and write my heart out, updating ASAP :D **

**Just remember... "There's no way I could make it without you. "-Austin Moon **


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm baaaaaack! And this time, I actually do have an excuse to why I didn't update sooner ;D**

**THE AUSLLY KISS! THE AUSLLY KISS! THE AUSLLY KISS! THE AUSLLY KISS! THE AUSLLY KISS! THE AUSLLY KISS!**

**Just in case I haven't caught your attention yet, THE AUSSLY KISS! :D I think I died, completely disabling my ability to write for a few days ;D It was just so...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**

**Who saw it? I was scrolling on Tumblr when I saw the picture. And in two seconds, I was down on the ground in feels. Drowning in feels. To be honest, I was kind of upset when it was spoiled. I wanted to save the perfect moment of the unblocked Auslly kiss on the night it premiered. But it was just so adorable, I couldn't have been disappointed. **

**Then I saw the video on YouTube...I'm still in complete fangirl mode. T-They didn't stop kissing! *insert squeal* Even when Dez said cut! *insert even louder squeal* I-It's too perfect! Anyone agree? ;D**

**I'm really sorry if I'm just rambling on and on about it, but it's just so... here I go again. **

**Before I go back to my complete fangirling session, let me just say... I hope that you guys enjoy the next chapter of It Won't Change a Thing! On with the story! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

* * *

_It's her_.

The thought made my brain melt as my heart almost froze in place. This had to a horrible trick. Some practical joke my mind decided to play on me. But she was there. Standing right in front of me. But…in a way, it wasn't _her_.

No. The cold-faced, scowling girl in front of me wasn't the Ally Dawson that I remembered. "Ally," I squeaked out, though it was barely louder than a whisper. As if saying her name out loud would allow her presence to sink into my head.

For those horrible three seconds, Ally didn't respond. She stared at me, with so much pain and anger, it made me cower back, crashing into Dez. The redhead looked just as surprised as I did. He sucked in his breath.

"It's Ally," he whispered loudly towards me, as if she wasn't right in front of us.

_You don't say Sherlock? _The sarcastic comment got stuck half-way up in my throat as Ally's frown deepened. "Yeah, and _Ally _has ears you know," she said, crossing her arms as if Dez's comment just offended her.

I flinched at her voice. Cold. Hard.

Unforgiving.

Ally looked passed me as if I was just a blank space in her mind. "What right do you think to bring those people here?" she asked, pointing accusingly at the mob of fans still crowding around the store. I found it hard to concentrate.

_This wasn't Ally_.

"Sorry," Dez spoke for me, flashing me a glance. One look and he must have realized that I wasn't going to be talking anytime soon. "But we were getting mobbed. We didn't know where else to go."

Ally's jaw hardened, her back stiffening so much that it looked as if it was going to snap in half. "As long as _they_," she spit out the words, "don't come into the store, then it's none of my business."

She might as well slapped me across the face because my vision started to blur. "We'll leave as soon as they're gone," Dez promised her. I almost didn't hear him.

"Good," Ally said coldly. Without another word, she spun on her heel and headed up the stairs that lead to the second floor of Sonic Boom. There was only one door on the platform. She slipped into it quickly, slamming it behind her.

_Bam_. Both Dez and I flinched as we heard the sound echo through the store. My knees were the next to go. I started to wobble, feeling unbelievably dizzy. Dez noticed. "Whoa," he said, grabbing my arm as I felt myself slipping.

My mind was racing as Dez led me over to a set of couches, set in the corner of the store along with several magazines and music samples. "I'm sorry, Man," he told me as I collapsed onto the seat. _What just happened_?

"What happened to her, Dez?" I said helplessly, surprising myself at how broken my voice sounded. Everything wouldn't stop swirling around in my mind. I rubbed my temples, feeling as if I was going to puke.

Dez grew quiet. For two long minutes, he stayed in that position, sitting next to me, playing with his fingers. I waited for him to say something. Anything that would make me feel any better than I was right now.

But he said the answer I dreaded the most. "I don't know."

I let out a deep breath, resting my head at the edge of the sofa. The Ally I remembered was a fun, cheery brunette who could make anyone smile with a single word. Not the one I just witnessed. No. _That _Ally is a stranger.

Pain spread throughout my body. My hands clenched. Letting out another breath, I kicked the coffee table in front of us in frustration. One of the magazines lied out on it fell onto the ground from the motion.

It landed at my feet with a small _thump_. Bending down, I picked it up. Something caught my eyes as I adjusted the cover. Me. My picture was right there, between Justin Bieber and One Direction.

'_Exclusive!' _it read next to my portrait. _'Austin Moon seeing yet ANOTHER girl? See page 2…' _Again, I made the front cover for millions to see the lies that it posted. No doubt Ally was part of that 'million'.

Groaning, I tossed the stupid magazine back onto the table. Dez noticed, peering over to read the cover. "Dude," he said, sighing as he leaned back into his seat. "I hate to say it, but Cheetah Beat isn't exactly lying." 

My eyes almost bugged out of my head. "What?!" I nearly yelled, getting to my feet. Dez flinched, but held his position. Red hot anger boiled in my stomach. "How could you think that I could be that-?"

"I said that Cheetah Beat isn't e_xactly _lying," Dez repeated himself, cutting me off from my moment of range. "Maybe they aren't right about the whole getting girls and…" the glare I sent him caused him to trail off.

He gave a slight shake of his head. "But they got one thing right," Dez went on, acting as if his last words never existed. "You've changed Austin."

The exasperated groan escaped out of my mouth before I could even stop myself. There was no way I was going to listen to _this _again. I got up from my seat. "I'm not in the mood to hear this again, Dez," I glowered in annoyance.

Dez trailed behind me as I made my way around the store, pacing in random directions. As if walking would calm me down. "But you need to get this drilled into your head," he insisted, waving his hands wildly around his head.

"Trust me," I scowled. "It's drilled in."

"No it's not," Dez said, his voice rising slightly. His arm reached out, jerking me backwards so that we were face-to-face. Glowering, I tried passing him by for once, the ginger's grip was wickedly strong.

My mouth opened to retort when he cut off the unspoken words. "Austin, what happened to you?" he asked, harsher than it was probably meant to be. "Before this tour started, you were a happy, carefree guy. But now you would disappear. Come back drunk sometimes. Even-"

"You know what happened to him?" my voice rose before I could even stop myself. Anger flashed through my eyes. I was done with this. Done with everything. Everyone in the world was against me. The fans. The Paparazzi. Jimmy. Dez. My own parents. _Ally._

And I was _sick _of it.

Dez was obviously waiting for my response, which just lead to further annoyance. "He grew up," I sputtered out, my vision turning red. "That happy, carefree guy that you all loved so much grew up! He went on tour. He's gone!"

Silence filed in for a moment. My arms crossed as I stood there, breathing angrily. The knot of anger, instead of releasing from my rant, grew tighter. At last, Dez shook his head. "I don't think he is," he said quietly.

I bit the insides of my mouth to keep myself from yelling out a few well-worded comments. Instead, I settled with a, "Whatever."

Dez took a deep breath, as if he was ready to argue his way through this. But I was exhausted from this conversation from the moment it entered my ears. Shaking my head, I made my way towards the other side of Sonic Boom.

Sighing, I sat down at the edge of the steps. Dez sat down on the opposite wall, drowning in silence. _Good, _I thought to myself, taking the time to settle down the anger in my stomach. But no matter how hard I tried Dez's words wouldn't leave.

_You've changed. _Gritting my teeth, I forced the thought out of my mind.

A shiver that traveled my spine snapped me back into reality. As if…someone was watching me. Instinctively, I looked over my shoulder, straight up towards the second floor of Sonic Boom. It happened so fast, I almost missed it.

But nothing could deny the fact that Ally was listening to every breathing moment of our conversation. The chocolate brown eyes jerked back the second it meant mine. And before I could react, the door closed between us.

Just like it's been for the past year.

* * *

"You can't live on the streets forever, Austin."

"Why not?" I moaned.

Lars adjusted himself in the driver's seat to face me. He sent me a pointed look. I thought with Dez dropped off at his hotel room, he would be the one person who would go easy on me. I guess not. "Dez isn't here to force you into the house," Lars said firmly. "So I am."

I let out a huff. This was probably the most I've ever heard Lars speak before. And I hated that _this _was what he wasted his breath on. "Please," I begged.

The limousine doors opened in response. "Out," Lars commanded.

Easy for him to say. He didn't have to go home to the wrath of his parents after one whole year. Instead, he was going back to a five-star hotel to sleep in his suite. Right now, I would do anything to trade spots.

But the way Lars was staring me down proved that it wasn't going to happen any time soon. "Fine," I grumbled, getting out of the car. "But you'll regret-"

Lars slammed the door in my face before my threat could finish. He gave me a quick thumbs up through the windows before disappearing down the corner. "Yeah," I said quietly, staring at the empty street. "Thanks for the support."

Thankfully, the concrete didn't reply.

Before I could prepare myself for getting into yet another face-to-face meeting with my mom, a blur flashed by me, going so fast that it almost knocked me over. Even with that small glimpse, I immediately identified the person.

"Ally!" the name escaped out of my mouth before I could stop it.

I felt so stupid. Of course she would be here. Throughout this long, torturous tour, my mind seemed to forget one important detail. We were neighbors.

My reflexes kicked in, my hand grabbing her arm. Ally jerked back so fast, she nearly tripped over her own feet. "Let me go!" she yelled, her head snapping towards me before I could even get a chance to recover myself.

A part of me urged to obey her. But my hand stayed in place. It was bugging me all too much. Why she was like this. How one year did so much to her. And I wasn't going to let her go until I found out.

"No," I said, gritting my teeth. "Not until you listen-"

"I don't want anything to do with you!" Ally's voice rose even louder. She twisted her arm, struggling to escape out of my grip. But determination set in my stomach. And we both knew what that meant.

Her words stung, though. Like a slap in the face. Pushing the thought away, I jerked her closer, my free hand running over her cheek. Ally flinched hard. Ignoring the shivers that jolted down my spine, I forced her eyes to meet mine.

"I don't get it," I said, my voice sounding so weak, it was pathetic. Clearing my throat, I forced my face to remain calm. "Ally, I don't-"

Saying her name seemed to make something in her snap. Ally pulled away so hard, I completely lost my grip. She stumbled back, tripping over the sidewalk.

"Don't," she said, the one hitting me like a rock. "Don't try and act like you didn't expect this." One year didn't change one thing. She could still read me better than I could read myself.

My mouth opened. What was going to come out? I had no idea. But it stumbled for words, pleads. Anything that would get her to stay. Because I could almost sense how close Ally was to bolting away.

"It was all you," Ally continued before I even had a chance to collect myself together. "This-" she gestured to herself, throwing her arms up "-is all your doing. Don't even try to argue against it. You _know _it's true."

Speechless. That's pretty much what described me right there. She left me complete and utterly speechless. Maybe I should have felt angry that she was blaming _me _for what happened to her. But I didn't.

I felt nothing.

Ally shook her head, backing away from me as if the mere sight of me pained her in a way impossible. "Just," her hand flew up to her mouth because it started to make a horrible sobbing noise, making my heart twist painfully.

She blinked hard. "Just don't," Ally managed to get out, her voice barely more than a whisper. Those two words were like triggering a time bomb. Memories finally caught up to me. The one night that I've tried so hard to forget.

* * *

_ "You're leaving," Ally squeaked out. _

_ The way she was looking at me made me want to sink into the ground. Her face was deathly pale, as if she was going to faint at any time. "I-" my voice faltered. Swallowing hard, I forced it to work. "I-I'm sorry." _

_ A mix of emotions passed through Ally's eyes. Surprise. Confusion. The slightest hint of anger. But then it settled into a killing form of sadness. I had to look away. "No," Ally shook her head, as if reading my thoughts. "It's fine, Austin."_

_ The tight smile she gave me told differently. _

_ I honestly had no idea what to say. It killed me to be telling her that I was leaving for a one-year world tour. The thought of saying bye to my parents, Miami, my friends… it caused a horrible feeling to set into my stomach._

_ "But it's for the best," Ally voiced the one excuse that revolved through my head day and night. It was all so clear in her eyes. The struggle to remain calm. "I just-" she tried to hide it, but I saw the tear that escaped off the corner of her eye. Her voice twisted. "-Can't believe that you're really….going." _

_ The brokenness in her face was enough to snap me into reality. "We'll stay in contact," I mustered out, trying to hide the clear doubt that grew in my chest. "We could always video chat…text…" I faltered, seeing the way Ally was looking at me._

_ It reflected the 100% hesitation that I was feeling. "Austin," she whispered, her voice cracking. "We both know that there's no way that's gonna work."_

_ A record. That's what it had to be. How fast annoyance surged through my veins. "We won't know unless we don't try," I said through closed teeth, surprising myself at how angry I sounded. Was she really ready to throw our friendship away like that so easily? Was it really that unimportant to her?_

_ "I don't mean it like that," Ally said cautiously, as if sensing my uneasiness. _

_ "Then how do you mean it?" I demanded._

_ I almost regretted how I snapped at her like that. Ally looked taken back for a moment, though quickly composed herself. "I just mean," her words came out slowly, "I've seen things like this happen before. I-It's too painful…"_

_ Too painful? Maybe there was some hidden meaning in it, but all I could think was how it all sounded like gibberish. "Ally," I gave a small laugh, in hopes to lighten the mood. "It's going to be more painful not seeing each other for-"_

_ "No," Ally interrupted me. "Trust me, Austin. People lose contact over time. They change… A-And I don't think I can deal with that."_

_ I found my jaw dropping. Maybe I wasn't the smartest person in the world, but somehow I managed to make out what she was saying. "You just want me to leave," I said incredulously. "Just….like that?"_

_ To say I was somewhat hurt would have been an understatement. Did she really expect for me to just leave and not see her AT ALL for a whole year? The mere thought of it caused my throat to contract. _

_ "Ally, there's no way-"_

_ "You won't get it," Ally burst out. The sob that was in her words lingered in the room. It was enough to bring me into complete shock. She bit her lip hard, shaking her head. "You don't understand..." _

_I tried to clear my mind. "Maybe if you explain it to me than I will."_

_ "I-I can't," was Ally's weak reply. _

_ All I could focus on was how ridiculous she was being right now. The slightest hint of anger burned through my stomach, but I ignored it. For now. "Ally," my voice wavered. "I don't-why are-" I fumbled. _

_ I didn't have to say anymore. The way Ally was avoiding my gaze said enough. I felt my eyes harden, the irritation in my chest growing to the point where it was unable to be ignored. "So that's it," I said, my hands falling to my side. _

_ "We'll see each other when you come back," Ally said, her voice trembling. _

_ If she was trying to bring me on a wild rollercoaster ride, it was working. "I don't think we will," my voice unintentionally mimicked her. "I mean, people lose contact over time." I tossed her own words right back at her face. _

_ For that horrible second, Ally looked hurt. And my stomach gave a pang of guilt, though it didn't last long. "I think it's for the best if we…take a break."_

_ My mouth let out a harsh laugh. I could feel my body slowly being taken over. Anger. Hurt. The problem? I didn't regret a thing. "You act as if we were together," I nearly spit out the words. _

_ Ally blushed hard. "We're not," she said, her voice surprisingly firm. "But that doesn't mean anything. It still doesn't change the fact that I think trying to stay in contact with my best friend across the world is a good idea."_

_ "Why not?!" my voice rose into a yell. _

_ "You won't understand." _

_ "Why can't you just tell me?"_

_ Ally huffed, giving a small stomp of her foot. It was clear that she was losing her patience as well. But somehow, she still kept herself calm, though the panic was given away through her eyes. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered. _

_ My jaw clenched. "You can't expect me to just walk out that door, Ally."_

_ "Is it really that hard?" Ally said, her own voice rising. "Trust me in this, Austin."_

_ "I don't think I can," was my tense reply. _

_ My poor choice of words seemed like it punched Ally in the gut. She looked at me for a moment, almost dazed. "If you're so reluctant, why don't you just stay here?" she asked, her tone a millimeter away from full-on yelling. _

_ "Because this is an opportunity of a lifetime."_

_ "Then go!"_

_ "I am!" I said, cutting off the battle that was slowly going on in my mind._

_ "For crying out loud Austin!" Ally burst out, her voice cracking as if she was going to cry. "Good for you! You're going. Big opportunity, I get it. Leave then! I don't see why you're making this into such a big deal." _

_ This sounded all wrong. This wasn't the tender good bye I was expecting. The comforting hug I was picturing in my head was blown to bits. The speech I was going to give, about always staying in contact…I never thought she would disagree with me about it. _

_ And the thought annoyed me. More than I would ever like to admit. Because I didn't think that I could make the one year tour without hearing or seeing her every day. And Ally wanted to prevent that from happening. _

_ "Because it is a big deal," I snapped out. "I'm not losing my best friend like-"_

_ Smack! My words were cut off as a daze of pain burned through my face. Blinking hard, I realized what happened. Ally slapped me. As my vision readjusted, I saw her glaring at me through her tears. _

_ "Do you want to know why I think this is such a bad idea?" Ally yelled at me, her voice continuously being cut off by her own sobs. I could hardly reply. The pain. The thought that she actually slapped me took away my ability to speak. _

_ Ally didn't wait for an answer. "I love you!" she cried out. "I love you, you idiot!" She raised her hand as if she wanted to smack me again, but it dropped to her side. "Okay?" she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. _

_ I could barely breathe. She…loves me? My best friend loves me. The mere thought of it caused my stomach to twist into a permanent pretzel. My vision started to blur. An unknown emotion bubbled through my veins._

_ Ally loves me. _

_ To say that I haven't thought about Ally before would have been a lie. Because I have. And I was even willing to say that there was a time when I had the slightest crush on her. But it was a petty, childhood crush. _

_ Nothing more, nothing less._

_ And even if those…feelings were still there…I did know one thing. _

_ Mustering up my courage, I felt as if the world dropped from under me. And when the time came that I finally thought that my mouth would get something out, Ally cut through it. "You don't have to say it Austin."_

_ Her voice softened incredibly. "You don't have to say it," she repeated, her voice turning into a whisper. "I know you don't feel the same way. I can see it in your eyes."_

_ Every part of my body wanted to protest. Say that I did feel the same way. Anything that would get that smile back on her face. But the truth was that I didn't. Ally didn't deserve me. She…could do so much better. _

_ Maybe I have suspected it at some points. Where I would catch her staring at me. The looks of pure affection she sent me across the room. I just tried to avoid it. _

_ "Ally-"_

_ "I hope you understand," Ally let out a trembling breath, her hands shaking so hard, it was as if they were going to fall off. "But it's too hard for me. To see you and know that you're miles away and not…" her voice faltered. _

_ With me. _

_ She didn't say it directly, but it was as clear as day in her words. _

_ There was something else in her expression though. Something that I think we both knew. In a horrible way, she took a massive chance of admitting her feelings towards me like that. One that I didn't return. _

_ Ally took the play. And lost. _

_ Our friendship, in the past three minutes, changed drastically. _

_ "Ally-" my mouth reached for words that I would probably never get to say. The brunette gave a slight shake of her head. I wanted to comfort her. Hug her. Do anything that would just give her the benefit of a doubt that she was still my friend. My best friend. _

_ "Just don't Austin," Ally said quietly. Hurt filled her voice. "Just…go."_

_ And right there, I did the worst mistake I've ever made in my life._

_ I left._

* * *

Thinking back on it, she was right.

People could change over time.

And I wasn't just talking about Ally.

* * *

**Wow... this chapter was pretty long. Over 3k words, which is probably a record so far :D I really hope that it makes up for the long wait. **

**I'm really sorry if this chapter seemed like kind of a downer O.O But don't worry! I PROMISE from now on, there will be a TON of the Auslly fluff that you all love ;D **

**I have just few announcements before I go :D**

**1. I started a poll on my profile! Yay! Some of you may have already voted, but the question is "Which of my stories do you like the best?" You don't have to vote if you don't want to. It was just a fun thing I wanted to do. Plus, I was curious :D**

**2. (this isn't really an announcement, but oh well) Who saw Moon Week and Mentors yesterday? They were sitting in the same chair *cue squeal* I honestly found that episode hilarious :D**

**Ooo! Again, I want to thank everyone for just...everything! The support you all give me is really what inspires and pushes me to write :D So a MASSIVE shout out to all my reviewers and silent readers! There's no way I can make it without you :D **

**I love you all! Until next time :D**


	4. Chapter 4

In the movies, there are always that awkward moment at the dinner table. Maybe it was between two people on a date or during a family gathering. Either way, it all resulted in the clinking of forks and awkward sips of drinks

And right now, I can officially confirm that it is all true.

You would believe me too, if you just eavesdropped on the first dinner I had with my parents in a long time. The discomfort of the whole situation made me want to hide underneath the table and not come up for a few hundred years.

My vision, however, had a different idea. Because no matter how hard I tried, it couldn't help but flicker off between my mom and my dad. They, however, seemed to make any attempt of acknowledging my presence.

Clearing my throat, I sunk into my seat slightly as my fork picked at the dinner of chicken and mashed potatoes. Looked and smelled delicious. Better than the constant flowing meals of Big Macs from McDonalds that were bought on tour.

But my stomach didn't welcome the home cooked meal.

Squirming slightly, I debated whether or not to start up a conversation. But will that really help anything? I remembered seeing my mom at the porch of our house merely hours ago. How one look and it was almost as if she hated me.

And I decided that anything would have been better than _that_.

"So," I said, but it ended up just hanging in the air. My parents seemed to tense at my voice. Pushing away the thought away, I struggled to keep my confidence up. _You're Austin Moon, _I reminded myself. "What's…up?"

Yes, I am aware of how stupid that just sounded. I wasn't talking to Dez or Lars. Or even Jimmy, for that matter. These were my parents. The people who raised me my whole life. _'What's up?' _my mind taunted me. _'That's the best you got?'_

But something flicked in my stomach. Hope. Because maybe it was just my imagination, but the slightest smile appeared on my mom's face. And my dad finally looked up. To _face me. _Eye to _eye. _

The expression on his face was unreadable. It ranged from disowning me to giving me one of those father-son hugs. The variety of choices it could hold scared me. But maybe none of that mattered.

Because his next words were enough to let me catch my breath. My dad gave a small shake of his head. "Are you just going to stare at your food like that?" he asked. "Your mother worked hard to prepare it for you. Shut up and eat."

I ducked my head, stammering out the 'yes sirs' and the 'sorry'. But as I took a bite of the chicken, I felt the corners of my lips tilt up the smallest bit. Because those were the first words that my dad had said to me since I arrived.

And maybe it wasn't the kindest words to say to your son after one year of being apart. But it was something. A sign.

That my parents may have not meant everything they had yelled at me before I left for tour. Every harsh word that they launched at me, that haunted me ever since, may just have been out of anger.

Neither my dad nor mom said anything else to me that night, which I was somewhat disappointed yet relieved at the same time.

I thought about my encounter with Ally. Her words were like a slap to the face. As if I could still feel it stinging me right now, the pain traveling down to the rest of my body. I twisted and turned in my bed, the mattress squeaking beneath me.

_Don't think about it, _I told myself, closing my eyes, only to have them snap back open, into the darkness of my old bedroom. _It's just going to make you feel worse. _But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how untrue that was.

Because nothing could have felt worse than the look on Ally's face on that day my tour was announced. When I turned around and left her.

* * *

How _not _to wake up a person at five in the morning: don't do what Dez did.

I felt someone slap me on the head, my eyes forcefully being pulled open. A familiar redhead peered right into my line of vision. "WAKE UP AUSTIN!" he yelled loud enough for a few birds by the house to fly away.

With a yelp, I crashed headfirst to the ground, my body hitting the hardwood floor with a rather loud _bang. _"Dez," I hissed out in pain. I couldn't figure out which bump I should focus on: my head, my ears, or my eyelids which suddenly felt like pulled taffy. All with the courtesy of Dez Fisher.

Maybe if he had apologized, patted me on the back comfortingly, I may have killed him with some sympathy. Instead, the ginger pulled me to my feet, nearly yanking my arm off. "C'mon," Dez commanded. "Time to go to school."

Somewhere in my half-asleep, half-bruised brain, I managed to sort out his words. "School?" I croaked out, feeling the rest of me collapse.

Dez gave a small nod. And only then did I realize what he was saying. My vision snapped back to normal, the sleep suddenly dissolving. "Wait, what?" I yelped out. My mouth opened to protest.

But before a word could even come out, Dez shoved a randomized outfit that he pulled from my closet into my arms. "Don't worry," he said, taking out a pair of sunglasses from his back pocket. Slipping it over my eyes, he patted me on the shoulder. "Jimmy has it all under control."

Every part of that sentence only made me feel even worse.

The anger that was slowly building up in my stomach was about to be released when Dez forced the tips of my mouth upward, forming a somewhat-smile. "Think through the bright side," he told me, no sympathy found in his voice. "Lars and I are going to be right with you the _whole _time."

A sound that closely resembled a cat swallowing a hairball escaped through my throat, replacing the yell that I was about to let out. In my moment of shock, Dez used this time to escape. "Breakfast's in five!" he hollered, already out the door.

I don't know how long I stood there, staring at the closed door, trying to regain my thoughts. _I was going to school. Now. _I haven't been to Marino High in so long, the word felt like a foreign language on my tongue.

Groaning, I spun around, collapsing on my bed, pounding my head on my pillow. _School. School. School. School. _The mere word was like poison.

"Three minutes!" Dez called out, his voice slightly muffled.

This was going to be _so _fun.

* * *

"It's Austin Moon!"

C_rash! _Three lockers got three new dents as Dez, Lars, and I jerked ourselves back, pressing our backs to the walls. Jimmy had said that he thought the schooling experience would be 'calmer', seeing that everyone in this building has known me before my fame. I am here to show how boneheaded that idea was.

Dez elbowed me in the ribs, forcing my instinctive scowl upright. _Don't think about it, _his expression told me. Sighing inwardly, I came up with a smile. "Hey," I greeted, adjusting my backpack as a few girls approached me.

One of them squealed. "Can we have your autograph?" she asked shyly.

"We're big fans," another chimed in.

The no that was resting on my throat seemed unable to speak. I couldn't reject them. They looked a few years younger than me, around ninth grade. And…their approach was a lot nicer than the occasionally mob we faced since 7:30 am.

"Sure," I said after a moment of hesitation.

Lars handed me a pen that was clipped behind his ear. Clicking it, I swiftly signed the notepads that were given. I've done it so many times, I could have done it with my eyes closed. "There," I said, stepping back to admire my work.

They all gave a small giggle. "Thank you," they said. After exchanging good-byes, I watched as they rushed off to their next class. I didn't realize I was staring until Dez nudged me hard, gesturing that we had to go.

Lars sent me a strange look, though I couldn't read what it was saying. Brushing it off, I followed Dez to our next classes. To my annoyance, Jimmy had set it up so that all three of us had the same school schedule. _I'm sixteen, _I scoffed.

I could have taken care of myself. But as much as I hated to admit it, without my two 'bodyguards', this first day would have been unbearable.

Following Dez, I realized that we were taking the hallways through the more barren parts of Marino High. I wondered if we had to go this way e_veryday _back and forward between classes. "This is just until everyone here gets used to the fact that international pop star Austin Moon goes to the same school as them," Dez said, as if he was reading my mind. "Till things calm down a bit."

"As if that would ever happen," I heard Lars mutter.

Smiling inwardly to myself, I brought my attention back towards where Dez was leading us. _D5, _it read on the right corner of the door. Even from out here, I could hear the teacher talking. Instinctively, I took a step back.

"Nu-uh," Dez said, shoving me forward. Lars pulled open the door. And with a slight push, I tumbled into the classroom, stumbling over my own feet. It was a miracle that I didn't land face-first onto the floor.

If that entrance didn't get people's attention, I didn't know what would. _Maybe the fact that Austin Monica Moon just burst through their classroom, _a small voice peaked into my head. I gritted my teeth, _Shut up!_

There wasn't any time to recompose myself. There was a chorus of gasps, screams, groans, and a 'Mr. Moon!' mixed in. Oh no. Spinning around, I found myself face to face with the death glare to no other than Miss Woodford.

It took everything to keep myself from popping out of my skin. The woman hated me when she taught 9th grade science, and judging from how she was staring me down, nothing has changed.

"Um…" I stammered out. "Hey."

Before the mental face palm could kick in, Miss Woodford snapped, "Don't 'hey' me, Mr. Moon. What right do you think you have to interrupt my class like that?" Dez took this moment to step into the conversation.

"If you haven't heard already Miss W," Dez said politely, "Austin is attending Marino High for the rest of the school year until further notice."

I didn't know which was more surprising: that Miss Woodford actually softened from her Wicked Witch of the West pose or Dez actually used a three-syllable word. "Really?" Miss Woodford said after a slight pause. "Why so sudden?"

Before I could cut in, Dez and his big mouth said, "Jimmy Starr decided that it was best for Austin to experience a normal life, taking that he has had behavioral issues." I flinched hard.

Did he really have to mention _that_?

Miss Woodford nodded slowly, looking at me disdainfully. "That's not hard to believe," she said after a slight pause. I opened my mouth to protest when she cut the unsaid words out of my throat. "Well then, you three may as well take a seat, taking that you already took up a good portion of my teaching."

If that was the case, then I would say we did everyone a favor.

Scowling, I trudged towards the back of the classroom, where an empty seat was waiting. I tried to ignore the few dozen pairs of eyes that were boring through my head. Dropping my backpack to the floor, I tried not to collapse into the chair. Since Dez just admitted to everyone that I was here on bad behavior, it was probably best to not give any indication of that.

The rest of Miss Woodford's teaching was practically pointless. Half the time I couldn't pay attention because of a majority of the class was staring at me as if I was a free cash of gold. I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat.

At one point, a girl sitting in front of me suddenly turned to face me. I almost fell out of my seat in surprise. Raising a finger to her lips, she placed a note on my desk before quietly turning back to the lesson at hand.

Based off of early experience, I learned that it was probably best not to read notes like this. But of course, I didn't listen to myself as curiosity took over me. Making sure Miss Woodford wasn't looking, I carefully opened up the slip of paper, reading it under my desk.

My throat instinctively gagged, a wave of nausea rolling through my body. The note fell to the ground. Resisting the urge to double over, I pulled off what was hopefully a casual demeanor as I stiffly sat back in my seat.

This day was just getting better and better.

* * *

Lunch wasn't a period that I was looking forward to. Trapped in a room with all of the eleventh grade population? Nothing about that sounded like it was going to be a party. Dez tried to protest that he and Lars had to stay with me, _blah, blah_.

After a whirlwind of passing notes back and forward between Calculus, Dez finally allowed me to have one precious hour to myself. Away from my overprotective 'babysitters'. Away from everything and everyone who just sees me as a teenage heartthrob. Away from pop star Austin Moon.

Sighing, I played with the apple that was being occasionally tossed back and forward between my hands. My stomach was growling, but no part of me was urged to take a bite. My footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.

Quiet. The thought was too good to be true.

For the first time in months, the ringing in my head stopped. Without meaning to, a breath of relief escaped out of my mouth. I. Was. Alone.

In a way, being this liberated was almost unreal. And I ended up wandering around the school in circles for the next twenty minutes, wondering what to do with myself. Twenty priceless minutes were donated to the idiot foundation as I wasted it all by walking in a zombie-like daze.

Only until I heard the slightest noise cut through my long moment of silence was when I snapped back into reality. Being a musical prodigy, my ears instinctively strained to identify the sound. A piano.

Notes running through my brain as I unknowingly started to walk towards the source. A, dare I say it, gorgeous melody flowed through the hallways, each key played with something almost indescribable.

I was almost so focused, trying to pick out every chord progression, every shift of notes, that I almost ran into the door way of none other than the band room. The door was left wide open, revealing the hint of drums, guitars, and trumpets.

Would this be considered as an invasion of privacy?

There wasn't any time to question it because before I could consider the consequences (which we all knew was going to end with me going into the room), the unknown musician started to sing. I almost fell flat on my face.

Ally. As cliché as it sounded, I would have recognized her voice even from a mile away. Because honestly, it was something that anyone would have remembered. Strong. Powerful. It made any other singer look pathetic.

I don't remember what song she sang. Or how long she sat there, her hands running gracefully along the keys, her eyes closed tight as she effortlessly performed the most beautiful thing ever created in history.

But as soon as it started, it ended. Ally stood up from her seat, hugging a familiar leather book to her chest. My body didn't even bother to jump back into my makeshift hiding place of the wall. Before I could even react, the brunette made her way out of the room, escaping out of the back entrance.

For who knows how long, I stood there, my eyes glued to the baby grand piano that once was full of life. Right in front of me was proof.

That Ally may not just be the Ally I've been encountering.

And that meant more to me than I ever thought possible.

* * *

**Oh. My. Gosh.**

**Two weeks of not updating? That has to be a record! I'm so sorry! So many things have been happening at once... school, my computer breaking down... I've just been SO busy, it's a miracle that I FINALLY managed to slip in time to write. Thank you all for being so patient with me! It pains me to say it, but this might be happening more often :( But don't worry, I'll try as hard as possible to update ASAP! Because you guys are all just SO amazing, it's the least I could do :D**

**On a happier note, (I know this is kind of overdue) but was the season finale AM-AZING or what?! :D I'm literally shaking in excitement for Season 3! And the Season 2 album coming out in December? AND Ross and Laura are doing a duet for Disney's Christmas album? I-I can't...OMG!**

**Speaking of Ross and Laura... today was probably the happiest day of my life! So many Raura feels, I think I'm going to die! Ross seriously taught Laura how to play guitar... Laura seriously agreed that she and Ross were like a married couple... and she seriously talked about the kiss on her live chat? And the list goes on and on! OMG! I'm completely freaking out! AHHHHHHH! **


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